Reinforcement, stabilization, or fusion of a joint or vertebrae may be indicated as a treatment of an afflicted region of a patient. Examples of specific treatments include spinal stabilization, spinal fusion, posterolateral spinal fusion, vertebral immobilization or reinforcement, intervertebral joint immobilization or reinforcement, degenerative disk stabilization, repair of traumatic fracture or dislocation of the pelvis, treatment of degenerative arthritis, treatment of sacroiliitis (an inflammation or degenerative condition of the sacroiliac joint), osteitis condensans ilii, and treatments of other degenerative conditions of joints or vertebrae.
This reinforcement of intervertebral joints, sacroiliac joints, or other joint stabilizations may be accomplished by one or more existing methods, including inserting rods and/or other implants into the afflicted regions. These rods and/or other implants may be anchored in place using existing orthopedic fasteners such as pedicle screws. One limitation of many existing fusion procedures involves the challenge of situating a fusion implant in suitably close alignment with the removed tissues of the patient to achieve a stable fixation of the joint or vertebrae. Existing implant structures may have insufficient engagement with the articular surfaces or cortical bone of the joint for adequate fixation or fusion. This failure to sufficiently stabilize and fuse the joint with the conventional implant structures and methods may result in a failure to relieve the condition being treated.
It may be desirable to limit the movement and/or loosening over time of the anchoring implant and/or associated fasteners to enhance the long-term effectiveness of a fusion implant. Existing pedicle screws and/or implants may loosen, back out, or otherwise functionally degrade due to the cumulative effect of forces and torques experienced as a result of normal posture and/or movements including bending, sitting, walking, and any other typical movements. Therefore, there exists a need for a stabilized anchor that is resistant to these forces for applications in vertebral immobilization/stabilization, intervertebral immobilization/stabilization, sacroiliac joint immobilization, and other surgical interventions.
The inventive fusion system described herein addresses the problems associated with conventional methods and apparatuses used in fixation and fusion.